Antistatic polyurethane shoe sole compositions

Abstract

This invention is an antistatic polyurethane shoe sole which is prepared by reacting in a closed mold a reaction mixture comprising (a) a relatively high equivalent weight polyester polyol or a relatively high equivalent weight polyether polyol containing about 5-25 weight percent repeating units derived from ethylene oxide and about 75-95 weight percent repeating units derived from a C3-C6 cyclic ether, (b) a chain extender compound, in an amount from about 5 to about 40 parts per 100 parts of component (a), (c) a sufficient amount of a blowing agent to provide a density of about 10 to about 65 pounds per cubic foot, (d) a polyisocyanate, in an amount to provide about 0.9 to about 1.2 isocyanate groups per active hydrogen-containing group present in the reaction mixture, and (e) a non-volatile ionizable metal salt, in an amount from about 0.01 to about 1 part per 100 parts by weight of component (a), said reaction being conducted in the substantial absence of a carboxylic acid ester of 6-30 carbon atoms, a fatty acid salt and a phosphate ester compound.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An antistatic polyurethane shoe sole which is prepared by reacting in a closed mold a reaction mixture comprising (a) a relatively high equivalent weight polyester polyol, or a relatively high equivalent weight polyether polyol containing about 5-25 weight percent repeating units derived from ethylene oxide and about 75-95 weight percent repeating units derived from a C 3  -C 6  cyclic ether,   (b) a chain extender compound, in an amount from about 5 to about 40 parts per 100 parts of component (a),   (c) a sufficient amount of a blowing agent to provide a density of about 10 to about 65 pounds per cubic foot,   (d) a polyisocyanate, in an amount to provide about 0.9 to about 1.2 isocyanate groups per active hydrogen-containing group present in the reaction mixture, and   (e) a non-volatile ionizable metal salt, in an   amount from about 0.01 to about 1 part per 100 parts by weight of component (a), said reaction being conducted in the substantial absence of a carboxylic acid ester of 6-30 carbon atoms, a fatty acid salt and a phosphate ester compound.     
     
     
       2. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 1 wherein the non-volatile ionizable metal salt is an alkali metal salt in which the anion is a tetraorganoboron, SCN--, or CF 3  SO 3  --. 
     
     
       3. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 2 wherein the non-volatile ionizable metal salt is sodium tetraphenylboron, sodium thiocyanate, or NaCF 3  SO 3 . 
     
     
       4. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 2 wherein the chain extender is an α,β-alkylene glycol having from about 2 to about 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
       5. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 4 wherein component (a) comprises a mixture of from about 0 to about 60 weight percent of a trifunctional, ethylene oxide-capped polyether and about 100-40 weight percent of a difunctional, ethylene oxide-capped polyether. 
     
     
       6. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 5 wherein component (a) has an average equivalent weight of about 1000 to about 2500. 
     
     
       7. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 6 wherein the non-volatile metal salt comprises sodium tetraphenylboron, and said non-volatile metal salt is present in an amount from about 0.05 to about 0.25 parts per 100 parts of component (a). 
     
     
       8. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 4 wherein component (a) is a polyester polyol having an average equivalent weight of about 1000 to about 2000. 
     
     
       9. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 8 wherein the non-volatile metal salt comprises sodium tetraphenylboron. 
     
     
       10. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 1 wherein component (a) is a relatively high equivalent weight polyether polyol containing about 5-25 weight percent repeating units derived from ethylene oxide and about 75-95 weight percent repeating units derived from a C 3  -C 6  cyclic ether. 
     
     
       11. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 2 wherein component (a) is a relatively high equivalent weight polyether polyol containing about 5-25 weight percent repeating units derived from ethylene oxide and about 75-95 weight percent repeating units derived from a C 3  -C 6  cyclic ether. 
     
     
       12. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 3 wherein component (a) is a relatively high equivalent weight polyether polyol containing about 5-25 weight percent repeating units derived from ethylene oxide and about 75-95 weight percent repeating units derived from a C 3  -C 6  cyclic ether. 
     
     
       13. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 1 wherein component (a) comprises mixture of from about 0 to about 60 weight percent of a trifunctional, ethylene oxide-capped polyether and about 100 to about 40 weight percent of a difunctional, ethylene oxide-caped polyether. 
     
     
       14. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 2 wherein component (a) comprises a mixture of from about 0 to about 60 weight percent of a trifunctional, ethylene oxide-capped polyether and about 100 to about 40 weight percent of a difunctional, ethylene oxide-caped polyether. 
     
     
       15. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 1 wherein component (a) is a relatively high equivalent weight polyester polyol having an average equivalent weight of from about 700 to about 2500 and having an average functionally of from about 1.5 to about 4. 
     
     
       16. The antistatic shoe sole of claim 2 wherein component (a) is a relatively high equivalent weight polyester polyol having an average equivalent weight of from about 700 to about 2500 and having an average functionality of from about 1.5 to about 4. 
     
     
       17. The antistatic polyurethane shoe sole of claim 1 wherein component (a) comprises a mixture of relatively high equivalent weight polyester polyols or relatively high equivalent weight polyether polyols containing an average of about 5-25 weight percent repeating units derived from ethylene oxide and about 75-95 weight percent repeating units derived from a C 3  -C 6  cyclic ether. 
     
     
       18. The antistatic polyurethane shoe sole of claim 1 wherein there is less than about one part by weight of carboxylic acid esters of 6-30 carbon atoms, fatty acid salts and phosphate ester compounds per 100 parts by weight of relatively high equivalent weight polyols.